 At the heart of BFL are people. Young people! Over 75% of the population in Africa is under the age of 25, making it the world’s youngest continent. These youth offer sustainability for the future of Africa, but, long for an opportunity to thrive. They need family, healthcare, education, jobs, and experiences that open their minds. Most of all they need to encounter Jesus Christ and the hope only He can give.
Finding sustainable solutions to Africa’s woes has been the core of BFL’s vision. Addressing poverty (spiritual and physical) and its ramifications and helping the majority of those who continue to suffer the consequences of Africa’s economic failures have been BFL’s mission. We believe God wants us to be relevant, practical and effective in reaching our communities and spheres of influence for Christ.
Apart from our efforts in church planting, discipleship and leadership, two aspects that have become a huge part of our work are a special needs school in Douala that was started to meet the needs of our now six-year-old son suffering from autism and many other children like him. The school is now evolving into a model all-inclusive school that ministers to both neuro-typical and neuro-diverse children and their families; the other is, a demonstration farm started among the marginalized Baka Pygmy enclave of Loussou in the Eastern part of Cameroon.
With the right investment, both projects could soon become sustainable and serve as ministry and launching bases, while providing needed services, creating much-needed employment in a country where unemployment is said to be at more than 60 percent and simultaneously generating revenue to meet community and ministry needs.
I will like to use this newsletter to appeal to all our friends and supporters to prayerfully consider if and how God may have you involved in one or both of these projects and move it towards sustainability. Our prayer is for a school bus by the end of the month. A used one will cost us about $15,000 and an additional $20,000 to invest in the farm towards a poultry house and 2,500 layers (to produce eggs for sustainability and nutrition), an irrigation system to grow short-term vegetables year round, plumbing for houses in the farm community and funds to enable us plant 100,000 pineapples in five acres of land!
History has proven that ‘dreaming’ alone is not enough. A better Africa will only emerge if we work tirelessly on behalf of the next generation by turning dreaming into doing.’ Thank you in advance for joining us in ‘turning dreaming into doing’ and positioning Bread For Life towards sustainability.
Serving Him with you,
Ernest
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Our school teachers with our youngest children in our model all-inclusive school that ministers to both neuro-diverse and neurological-typical children from all walk of life.
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Entrance to our sustainable teaching and demonstration farm.
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 Our lives changed four years ago when our now six-year-old son was diagnosed with autism. Instead of asking ‘why us?’ We began asking ‘what can we do to make a difference’ in a country where little or nothing is being done about the plight of special needs children and their families. The result is a place for autistic and special needs children that is evolving into a pilot and model all-inclusive school in Douala which admits neuro-diverse as well as neuro-typical children from all walk of life!
Our biggest challenge has been finding competent and trained teaching staff. We are making do with what we have and constantly trying to recruit, provide training as well as looking for funding to help with the running of the school.
Although we do not have “experts” among our team, we are nevertheless committed to putting in our best. We realized early on, that, we cannot wait until we get all the programs in our country before we start helping our kids. When it comes to special needs’ education, early intervention is a key, and it can help greatly.
Our biggest need at this moment is for speech and occupational therapists and special education teachers who can come and serve at our school for a few months at a time or for long periods - work with our school as well as train our staff, too. We are also looking for opportunities for our teachers to get additional training.
Two immediate needs at the school now are:
• A School Bus which can be bought in the country for $10,000-$20,000 (used)
• SALARIES for 18 staff a year $42,372. We should be able to generate a little more than half from tuition this year but we will need to raise the rest. With about 100 students paying their full tuition, the school would become sustainable. This will take another year or two of getting the community to know and trust us.
Mission Statement
• TO DEVELOP students into lifelong learners through rigorous, research-based curricula, individualized instruction, high expectations and a nurturing environment that includes parental and community involvement.
• TO PROVIDE opportunities for professional development for undergraduate/graduate students and universities in and outside Cameroon.
• TO SERVE as a model of exemplary educational program for diverse learners.
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Our son, AJ with his teacher. Ration for our special needs students with teacher is one-on-one.
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Children enjoy the recently arrived play ground equipment shipped in our last container
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Our teachers are eager to learn and desire more training that will help them be more effective. We are trying to recruit experience teachers from the USA who can come serve alongside them for short or long term
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Our new water tank and tower built by a team from CTC Kerrville.
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 BFL is passionate about introducing people to the person of Jesus as well as meeting physical needs and providing open doors for opportunities - to educate people for hope and opportunity. For BFL, education encompasses the whole person and seeks to create transformation that is academic, spiritual, physical, and relational. As a result, those we reach will create a positive spiral of hope and opportunity for themselves, their families and their communities.
Our demonstration farm base (Beulahland farms) will allow us to meet several ministry opportunities as we provide a place for various kinds of meetings, learning, reflecting and service.
By the end of 2019, the farm could be self-sustaining and provide an ideal place for training and a sending base. To do this, we are looking at a few initial investments that will allow for quick and rapid sustainability. We are looking at developing a truly integrated (animals, birds, fish, and plant) demonstration and teaching farm in a 250 acre virgin forest land.
A few months ago, we prepared and planted tomatoes in a small parcel of land. A little over $2,000 was generated, which was then plowed back into a building using local materials. We want to develop 20 to 30 acres in the coming months to plant crops that can be harvested and sold within 90 days (corn, watermelon, tomatoes) to sustain our workers and then other crops that will be harvested within 12 to 15 months for sustainability and profit that can then be used for developing the entire land as well as more community development and ministry enhancement. We want to start with the following:
• Poultry farm with 2,500 layers for eggs for sustainability and nutrition and droppings for manure
• 100,000 pineapples on five acres of developed land
• Develop additional 20 acres of land to plant short term crops (tomatoes, watermelon, corn etc) that can be harvested within three months to raise support for operation and salaries for farm workers
• About $5,000 for Irrigation, so that we can grow short term crops year round and for plumbing, newly built staff ,and guest houses
We are looking for folks who can give us grants or interest-free loans that are repayable within 24 months. Please contact us for project proposal that include cost and duration.
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Our farm compound. Two news houses for staff and team were recently constructed and finishing will be done in December
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A newly constructed drying rack for our corn
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 There’s millions in it,” said Dahlonega Mint assayer Dr. M. F. Stephenson from Mark Twain’s The American Claimant. The quote was later adapted to the phrase, “There’s gold in them thar hills.”
When we invest, we often look at the long-term record of a business or commodity. When we give, we often look to the immediate need or situation. In Jesus’ parable in Matthew 13, the treasure was hidden in an untapped, forgotten resource that masked the true value of the field.
In Africa, that field is often seen as fallow or barren. The very lack of development disparages others from considering it. Careful examination, however, reveals there is gold in them thar hills! This was the recent observation of my son, Daniel, and I as we visited two different “fields” in Cameroon on our recent short-term mission trip.
In Douala, Ray of Hope Academy was one such reassure hidden in a field. In speaking with staff, their enthusiasm for serving children both with and without special needs within was a wonder. Participating in the commencement ceremony and seeing the children’s joy and hearing them sing about Jesus was a great privilege to share. Investments in classroom infrastructure and materials are the “currency” necessary to buy these treasures hidden in the hearts and minds of tomorrow’s leaders. The love of Christ must be shown through both audacious giving and hands extended in short-term missions trips. These trips are orchestrated to equip that teaching/ leading and develop in the missionaries a heart to not only give but cry out to the Father for a greater harvest!
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Stan Jackson delivers the commencement address at our school
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Stan and my son catch a bike
taxi, we need two bikes for
the farm at $1,000 each
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Our kids perform for parents and guests at the end of the year ceremony
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Our son and three others graduates from kindergarten to first grade
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Daniel Jackson and my son Nathan with his cousin Joel.
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Dr. Tita, our project coordinator shows Stan and Dr. Remer around the farm
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At Beulahland Farms, Daniel and I worked side-by-side with the laborers to clear fields, vision the future, and communicate the eternal riches of the Gospel. The Bread For Life leadership team in Dimako, are “young and hungry” men of God crying out for wisdom, favor, and resources to serve the Baka Pygmies and other tribes of the region the Gospel of Hope; to present a tangible gospel that touches the whole man. This sustainable project incarnates a gospel of deliverance from the darkness of despair. Moving from the despair of unemployment, ignorance, and ethnic division into Gospel hope for a new life, with new skills, and new jobs to provide both daily bread and a new community of peace and joy.
Giving helps, investment is important but audacious, the worshipful breaking of alabaster jars (Matthew 26:7) is like the man who finds gold in them thar hills and sells all he has to buy it.
Let’s examine, invest, and give to projects that have not only sustainable potentials but have hidden treasure. Such fields contain precious, raw materials that the Spirit transforms into pure gold----the hearts, minds, and souls of men, women, and children. Pouring out your resources to education, training, and the development of souls in Douala and Dimako are two fields which contain great treasures. I challenge you to come and see; Pray and give. Break your alabaster jar and find that Jesus is well pleased with your act of worship!
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We start each day at the farm with devotion and prayer.
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Stan Jackson served as a board member of BFL for about 8 years before stepping down. Stan has made five trips to Cameroon since 2006. His most recent was in June with his 19 year old son, Daniel. Stan also rejoined the board of BFL. Stan has served as a pastor, a journalist and as an assistant warden in the largest prison in Missouri before retiring. Stan is married to Christina and they have two grown children.
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